The present invention relates to a spacer, particularly for coaxially sheathed fuel pipes of an aircraft. The intermediate space obtained via the spacer is used for ventilation and drainage of leakage liquid and condensed water, particularly for fuel pipes in aircrafts, in which such coaxially sheathed fuel pipes are required and/or prescribed in the fuselage region.
Coaxially sheathed fuel lines comprise an internal line and an external line, which encloses the internal line. In order to ensure a uniform distance between internal and external pipes under all circumstances, spacers are necessary between the internal and external pipelines. Internal and external lines may be manufactured from identical or different materials. These may be pipe, hose, or cable systems.
A spacer is known, i.e., from German Patent DE 26 47 235 C2. The spacer disclosed herein consists of several ring segments which are which are closed with individual tensioning wedges.
EP 1 431 642 A1 discloses a spacer in order to position an inner pipe in an outer pipe.
Furthermore, DE 2 048 424 discloses a fuel line with a spacer. The spacer has gliding cams and is closed by using separate clamping devices such as, i.e., a rivet or a screw.
Further, known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,082 A is a spacer which is held together by using additionally attached flanges.
EP 0 784 179 discloses a spacer for media tubes which are lead through tubular cable protection.
Currently, plastic spacers are disadvantageously used, which are fixed in a slip-proof way on the internal pipe using complex screw fasteners. This type of mounting may only be performed in a cumbersome way. The danger exists that damage to the internal pipe will occur because of the high pre-tension force of the screw. The internal pipe may, for example, be dented by the high force. During the mounting, one must work with special care in order to avoid contact of the screw fastener with the external pipe. If contact with the screw occurs, the external pipe may be damaged. In addition, multiple components (main body, screw, washer, nut) must be assembled during mounting, which is disadvantageous. Therefore, the greatest care is required during mounting, because of which mounting becomes complex.
New requirements for implementing special pipe diameters and especially small spaces between internal and external pipe lines may not be implemented using screw fasteners because of the space required.